Russia is has several major parts. The European (77% of the population), The Southern, The Ural, Siberia and the Far East. Our adventure starts in Far Eastern Capital Vladivostok, we will then Enter Siberia and will continue through the Ural to the European part of Russia.
During our 23 day journey, we will sleep 7 nights on-board the comfortable Trans-Siberian Railway train. The remaining nights, we will stay in hotels, beautiful small guest houses in mostly small villages to experience the real Russian traditions.
Siberia is the last frontier of travel photography, expect to experience a time warp back to 1910 USA.
Only 35% of Russia is suitable for living, the rest is Tundra, Steps, forests, Mountains. Most of Russia has only 2-4 month of agriculture. The Siberian Taiga is the largest forest in the world
Russia is more than 2x the size of the US, it’s the largest country in the world with 17.125.191 Km2.
The distance from Vladivostok to Moscow is over 9000 Km. During our journey, you will cross 7 timezones. Russia has 11 time zones in total. We travel from East to West so that the timezones are in our favour (we add time to our days while traveling West towards Moscow).
There are 3 classes of wagons on the Trans-Siberian Train. To offer you the most vibrant experience, we will travel second class in a 4 person cabin on overnight travels, and on 3rd class during our short daytime travels to have the best photo opportunities.
Russia has a very well educated population. But there are very few jobs in the villages. Therefore most people have abandoned their villages and moved to larger towns since the collapse of the USSR. In most villages the hope for a future is slowly disappearing and with that disappears a very important part of the Russian culture. Population in villages are steadily declining.
We were often told that we were the only foreigners to ever come to some villages. These villages are off the grid and interestingly enough also the most photogenic of all. Siberian people are very welcoming and once we found friends, we quickly got to know many more. We cherish our friends and therefore always travel in very small groups.
Facts about Lake Baikal: It is considered by the locals a a Holy Sea. A boat would take 2 days to travel from the Southern to the Northern part. Lake Baikal is the largest freshwater lake by volume in the world, containing 22–23% of the world's fresh surface water. With 23,615.39 km3(5,670 cu mi) of fresh water, it contains more water than the North American Great Lakes combined. With a maximum depth of 1,642 m (5,387 ft), Baikal is the world's deepest lake. It is considered among the world's clearest lakes and is considered the world's oldest lake – at 25–30 million years. It is the seventh-largest lake in the world by surface area. Stormy weather on the lake is common, especially during the summer and fall, and can result in waves as high as 4.5 m (15 ft). Lake Baikal is rich in biodiversity. It hosts more than 1,000 species of plants and 2,500 species of animals based on current knowledge, but the actual figures for both groups are believed to be significantly higher. More than 80% of the animals are endemic (unique to this area) (Wikipedia)
The Russian Railway announced a renewal program, when the beloved carriages with charming cabin attendants will disappear and make place for modern carriages with vending machines. This change is just a few years away. We will take the last opportunities to travel in the older style carriages which we love so much.
Travel Information: Arrival Airport: Vladivostok (VVO) - Transfer time to hotel 30-45min. Departure Airport: Moscow (MOS) - Moscow has 3 airports. Travel Visa: A visa may be required depending on your nationality. Contact your local Russian Consulate to find out.
